Reconfigurable Memristor Based Computing Logic

Abstract

Reconfigurable computing logic describes the ability to transform the functionally of a Boolean function from let us say a logic AND gate to a logic OR gate functionality without physical rewiring and vice versa. Today, this type of logic reconfiguration is not possible as the operational functionality of transistors, resistors, capacitors, and inductors is fixed and electronically unchangeable. However, there exists a new electronic device whose impedance state is electronically variable and non-volatile. The name of such device is the memristor. The electronic operational and behavioral characteristics of memristor devices have been reported recently in the literature by the authors [1, 2]. Pino and Bohl have described mathematically that memristors can operate within a range of impedance states bounded by a maximum, RHigh, and minimum, RLow, resistance values. The switching characteristics of the memristor devices between their ON and OFF states, RHigh and RLow, are governed by discrete threshold voltages, VHigh and VLow, that switch the device ON and OFF respectively [1]. In addition, the memristor device whose name stands for memory resistor is of particular interest because it is a passive device that when power is turned off, it remembers its previous impedance state [3–5]. In this work, we make use of the memristor device as a memory element within our reconfigurable computing logic architecture.